Monday, August 18, 2014

Once again I have to start another letter off by apologizing about my inability to write home every week. Today's been the first time that the power and the connection have both been working at the same time in a while.

These past couple of weeks have been really solid. For starters we had a small hiccup in the district over a change in the sector limits, but things have calmed down now. Our companionship basically lost everything. Investigators, Recent Converts, and Members. When the dust settled we found ourselves basically opening up a new sector. So we rolled up the sleeves, girded up our loins and went to work.

I really have to bear a simple testimony that when two missionaries can set aside the little things, get over their pride, and put their shoulders to the wheel they WILL have success. The Lord smiled upon our efforts and took pity on his poor servants wandering around in the sun looking for people to teach and led us to the door of Papa Victor. (Saying Papa Victor is just a nice way of calling somebody old).

Papa Victor was prepared to receive the gospel. During our first visit he told us that he'd been watching missionaries pass near his house for months, but never actually had the courage to search them out. He said he felt like we had something important but he was a little hesitant about what he knew he was going to have to commit himself to. He told us that when he saw us walk into his yard he knew he needed to hear us out.

Because Papa Victor is retired and always home we were able to work with him multiple times a week. These past weeks have been some of the most testimony building moments of my mission.

Papa Victor was one of the first converts for the new Branch of Calavi. It's been more than a rewarding experience to watch the light of the gospel enter into his life. It's people like him that make the mission worth it. It really is worth it.

I know that people, members of the church, and especially missionaries are far from perfect; but the gospel is. God knows what he's doing.

I love you all! I want you to have the bestest of the best weeks ever! Happy happy happy birthdays to Cassidy and Camrie! Stop getting big!

-Elder Gray

P.s. Camrie; You can go ahead and drive Dad's car, but you can't drive Sheila until I teach you myself. Got it? :P

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

We had a couple of appointments fall through and we found ourselveswith a couple of minutes to kill before we needed to go home. I wasable to read through some of the emails.

Things have quieted down and smoothed out with the companionship.

The whole Ebola thing really isn't all that big of a deal... don'tworry about it. The President has been keeping us up to date on it andwe've gotten "sanitary intstructions" from church security to follow.It's pretty simple. Don't touch dead/dying people and wash your hands.

We're headed out right now, so I won't be able to see anything untilnext Monday. Love you!

-Cheston (AKA. . . Elder Gray!)

**Since we haven't heard from Elder Gray since the 28th of July and then it was only the previous shown random pictures we were VERY excited to get this little tid bid of information the day after P-Day**

Random Pictures Elder Gray sent on July 28th there were no descriptions just pictures, we waited for a couple of weeks hoping Elder Gray would send descriptions but he never did so I posted them with my own descriptions.

Elder Gray and his ever present tongue

Apparently Elder Hawkins has the same ever present tongue!﻿

Elder Gray and Someone?

Breakfast

Baptism...Notice that the font is outside and the amount of water in pretty low. They usually have to haul water from a well to fill the font up.